VOT Training and Consultancy Services is based in Horsham, West Sussex and provides services across the UK. It aims to empower professionals with rich knowledge and information in the field of social work, social care, foster care, equality, diversity and inclusion and anti-racism. We provide robust, dynamic and interactive training sessions which combines emotional intelligence and cultural sensitivity to ensure that safeguarding of vulnerable service users is at the heart of practice in social work. Training also for public, private and charity organisations to inspire workplace inclusion and drive high productivity. Practical training that can easily be applied to personal life scenarios.

Our purpose is to create fair and equitable workplaces one training at a time.

The Service is headed by award winning social work leader, trainer and author Vivian Okeze – Tirado working in collaboration with Social Work and Social Care Professionals who are passionate about social work, social justice and promoting diversity & anti - racist practice.

Vivian is the author of D.I.V.E.R.S.I.T.Y.: A Guide to Working with Diversity and Developing Cultural Sensitivity. Published by London Jessica Kingsley Publishers in the UK and US in March 2023. 

Vivian obtained her first degree; A Bachelor of Arts BA (Hons) Linguistics, followed by a master’s degree in Business Administration - Management. Having explored her initial career, she moved sideways into the humanitarian field of social work, obtaining her second master’s degree in social work from University of Brighton in 2014. She further obtained an MA in Advanced Professional Practice from the University of Chichester in 2018 leading to certification as a Practice Educator. Before embracing her own practice, Vivian worked in West Sussex County Council for several years finishing as the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Lead for Children Services. 

In November 2021, Vivian was  awarded the Overall Social Worker of the Year and Social Justice Advocate in England by the National Social Worker of the Year Awards in recognition of her dedication and exemplary work as a children’s social work practitioner, an educator, and a social change author. In July 2022, she was shortlisted as a finalist in the Black Talent Award, Birmingham for the Charitable, Voluntary and Social Change category. Vivian is a confident strategic social work leader with empathy and great passion.

Memberships: 

British Association of Social Workers (BASW)

Association of Health Care Trainers (AOHT)

National Organisation for Practice Teaching (NOPT)